Jan Hylen (previously at the OECD) presenting via video link for this session.<\/p>\n
Despite a trend of growing competition where learning resources are often considered as key intellectual property, there is still much sharing of content between academics and institutions. There seems to be a new culture of openness in HE – Open Source Software, Open Access, Open Educational Resources – content made available over the internet for free and licensed for reuse.<\/p>\n
OECD\/CERI study setup to look at 4 main issues:<\/p>\n
Firstly a definition – what is an OER?<\/p>\n
OER are digitized material offered freely and openly for educators, students and self-learners to use and re-use for teaching, learning and research (UNESCO 2002)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Four areas of development driving OER:<\/p>\n
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- Technological (improved access, better software)<\/li>\n
- Social (increased IT skills, expectations of ‘free’)<\/li>\n
- Economical (lower costs, new business models)<\/li>\n
- Legal (new licensing – rethinking IP)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Mapping OER movement is challenging – it’s a global movement with a growing number of initiatives and resources. Also remove barriers to access, OER initiatives tend not to require registration – and so poor usage statistics.<\/p>\n
Different types of initiatives:<\/p>\n
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- Publicly or institutionally backed programmes – e.g. OpenLearn, OpenSpires, Open Courseward (MIT)<\/li>\n
- Community approach – Open Course, Common Content, Free Curricula Center<\/li>\n
- Mixed models – MERLOT<\/a>, Connexions<\/a>, ARIADNE<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
A followup study in 2008 found that the number of resources in 6 major OER initiatives had increased between 30% and 300%; still a large amount in English, but more in other languages; a move from text content to audio-visual and multimedia content (podcasts, video etc.)<\/p>\n
A move from the community approach to institutionally supported approach – most initiatives now have institutional support.<\/p>\n
According to MIT and Tufts users of OpenCourseWare typically well educated – already holding a degree. Mostly North American based (although this may have changed since) and self-learners (i.e. not use in other institutions)<\/p>\n
Teachers asked said they tended to use OERs are a supplement to other materials – generally as smaller chunks. Barriers to using OERs were lack of time, skills and reward systems.<\/p>\n
Motivations for producing and sharing OERs:<\/p>\n
Governments<\/p>\n
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- Expaned access to learning<\/li>\n
- Bridge gap between informal and formal learning<\/li>\n
- Promote lifelong learning<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Instituitons<\/p>\n
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- Altruism<\/li>\n
- Leverage on taxpayers money<\/li>\n
- “What you give you recieve back improved”<\/li>\n
- Good PR and shop window<\/li>\n
- Growing competition – new cost recovery models needed<\/li>\n
- Stimulat internal improvement, innovation and reuse<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Individuals<\/p>\n